My alarm clock and I will be off the job come New Year’s Day. News 5 WCYB has been a huge part of my life since March of 1968. I turned 70 years old this year. After much thought and a lot of prayers, my lifelong partner, my wife Mary, and I have decided that now is the time.

The management here at WCYB has been and is very supportive of me as I have been struggling with making this important decision and I want to thank them.

I cannot tell you how much that you mean to me, you all who have watched my work here all these years. All the wonderful thoughts and prayers, notes of encouragement and times of fun and laughter mean so much to me. You folks are a large part of what made this such a tough decision to make.

I am one of the luckiest guys in the world to have worked at the same place for 44 years. That’s especially true for someone on this end of television news, this end being in front of the camera. It goes without saying that I have been blessed with working for and with some of the most wonderful people in the world.

I am proud to say that I have worked for the founding company all the way up to the present owners and they have all been very kind and supportive of my efforts on their behalf. I also have had the privilege of working with and being associated with the greatest people in the world.

I have worked with many of you for quite a number of years on News 5 WCYB Today that numbers out to 30 years. I have seen you start as young people, and grow on to middle-age. My goodness, some of you have teen-aged children now. Thank you all, young and, well, middle aged.

So, what about the future? For me, that means sleeping late and doing what I want to do. Let’s be realistic here, doing what Mary lets me do.

What about good ole News 5 WCYB Today? I am very happy to announce a secret I have been keeping for the last few weeks. Our own Preston Ayres is going have to learn to be an early bird. When the management here and I were discussing my retirement, they asked me who I would recommend. My immediate response was Preston Ayres.

First off, he's a local guy, born, raised and educated right here in upper east Tennessee. He graduated from East Tennessee State University, interned here, and has worked here at News 5 WCYB all of his professional life. He is a news hound from the old school.

You have seen his work on many of our top stories. He has gained a ton of on camera experience from doing live shots all the way to anchoring our weekend newscasts."

Join us in wishing Johnny a happy retirement! Leave him a comment below.

My alarm clock and I will be off the job come New Year’s Day. News 5 WCYB has been a huge part of my life since March of 1968. I turned 70 years old this year. After much thought and a lot of prayers, my lifelong partner, my wife Mary, and I have decided that now is the time.

The management here at WCYB has been and is very supportive of me as I have been struggling with making this important decision and I want to thank them.

I cannot tell you how much that you mean to me, you all who have watched my work here all these years. All the wonderful thoughts and prayers, notes of encouragement and times of fun and laughter mean so much to me. You folks are a large part of what made this such a tough decision to make.

I am one of the luckiest guys in the world to have worked at the same place for 44 years. That’s especially true for someone on this end of television news, this end being in front of the camera. It goes without saying that I have been blessed with working for and with some of the most wonderful people in the world.

I am proud to say that I have worked for the founding company all the way up to the present owners and they have all been very kind and supportive of my efforts on their behalf. I also have had the privilege of working with and being associated with the greatest people in the world.

I have worked with many of you for quite a number of years on News 5 WCYB Today that numbers out to 30 years. I have seen you start as young people, and grow on to middle-age. My goodness, some of you have teen-aged children now. Thank you all, young and, well, middle aged.

So, what about the future? For me, that means sleeping late and doing what I want to do. Let’s be realistic here, doing what Mary lets me do.

What about good ole News 5 WCYB Today? I am very happy to announce a secret I have been keeping for the last few weeks. Our own Preston Ayres is going have to learn to be an early bird. When the management here and I were discussing my retirement, they asked me who I would recommend. My immediate response was Preston Ayres.

First off, he's a local guy, born, raised and educated right here in upper east Tennessee. He graduated from East Tennessee State University, interned here, and has worked here at News 5 WCYB all of his professional life. He is a news hound from the old school.

You have seen his work on many of our top stories. He has gained a ton of on camera experience from doing live shots all the way to anchoring our weekend newscasts."

Join us in wishing Johnny a happy retirement! Leave him a comment below.